Blank for folding boxes.



E. W. LABOMBARDB.

BLANK POR FOLDING BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 6, 1909.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

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uw macys E. W. LABOMBARDE.

BLANK FOR FOLDING BOXES.

APPLIoATIoN FILED 0012.0, 1909.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

`2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

y @www ELIE W. LABOMBARDE, 0F NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

BLANK FOR FOLDING BOXES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

Application led October 6, 190B. Serial No. 521,399.

To all u-z'omit 'may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIE IV. LAnoMnARDE, of Nashua. in the county ofHillsboro and State of New IvIampshire, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Blanks for Folding Boxes, of'which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to folding boxes, and its object is to provide. ablank adapted to be folded so that aK plurality of' open boxes may bearranged in a pile or bank, of

which each box may be in flat condition` when so arranged, and which maybe otherwise folded into the form of a closed box.

It is desirable that the'blanks be adapted to be folded into the form ofboxes without requiring the use of cooperative interlocking tabsl andslits, and that the boxes when arranged in a pile be ready for immediateuse without requiring manipulation other than merc folding. I

To this end the invention provides a blank which may first be partlyfolded and glued at lsuch points that it may be stacked in a flatcondition ready for immediate use.

Another object of the invention is to construct the blank in such formas to produce, when folded, a box of neat appearance. Folding boxes ofthis type have hitherto been provided with interlocking tabs and slitsof irregular shape, which are exposed when the box is closed, and whichtherefore mar the appearance of the box. The present invention providesa box whose exposed edges all coincide with folded corners when the boxis closed. The blank is, moreover. of such form as to provide portionswhich overlap when the box is closed, and which constitute means forholding the box in closed condition. Auxiliary means may be provided, ifdesired, for fastening the box when closed.

A further object of the invention is to form the. blank in such a mannerthat those parts which are adapted to overlap when the box is closedshall normally seek their appropriate positions, fso that the box may bereadily closed without awkward manipulation.

To these ends the invention is embodied in a folding blank illustratedupon the accompanying'drawings and described sin the followingspecification.

Figure 1 represents a plan view of a folding blank provided with slitsand with scored lines to facilitate folding. Fig. 2

represents the same blank in plan view, showing the first stage offolding in preparing t-he blank for commercial use. Fig. 3 represents aplan view of the blank in one condition in which it is adapted tofbearranged in a pile wit-bother blanks, and in which it is ready forimmediate use. Fig. 4 represents a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5represents a perspective view of the blank as folded to form an openbox. Fig. 6 represents a perspective ,view of the box of which the coveris between its open and closed positions. Fig. 7 represents aperspective view of the box folded to closed condition. Fig. 8represents a cross-section on line 8-S of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 represents aperspective view of a fragment of the box in slightly open condition, asviewed from frontto rear. Fig. 10 represents a section on line 10--10 ofFig. 8.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all thefigures.

On the drawings, '12- indicates a folding blank of rectangular outline.The blank is provided with slits 13 at opposite ends which separate theend aps 14 from corner flaps 15. The blank is scored along longitudinallines 16, 16', and 17. and along the transverse lines 18 18 and 19 19.The scoring of the aforesaid lines facilitates the folding of the blank,-which is thereby divided into a bottom 20, a top 21, a rear end piece,22 joining the bottom and top, side fiaps 23 adjoining the bottom,and'side aps 24 adjoining the top. The blank is also scored on theinclined lines 15 upon which the corner flaps 15 may be folded so thatthey mav extend toward each other, as indicated in Fig. 2.

The first operation in for the condition in which they are adapted to bearranged in stacks, is the folding of the corner flaps 15, as' shown byFig. 2. The end flaps 14 are then provided with a coating of glue 14 andare folded on the lines 18 and 19 so as to place the glued surfaces uponthe inwardly bent corner flaps 15, as indicated by Fig. 3. It will beobserved that the ends 14 are thereby joined to the side flaps 23 and 24of the bottom and top respectively. and are reinforced throughout theirwidth by the corner flaps 15, and that the box is adapted to lie in afiat condition when the flaps are so joined.

The portions at the sides of the connecting piece 22 and between theside fiaps 23 forming the boxesy and 24 are scored along diagonal lines25 and 26. The lines 26 are, moreover, .shtted from the outer edge tothe intersectlon of the lines 25, as indicated at 27. By reason of soscoring and slitting the portions'between the side iiaps, theV saidportions are adapted to be folded inwardly and to be concealed when thebox is closed. The forming of the slits 27 provides triangular cor nerflaps 28 which automatically bend inwardly by reason of the scorings,and whose function is to guide the side -laps 23 inwardly and the sideflaps 24 outwardly, as hereinafter explained, when the box is folded toclosed condition.

For convenience in stacking a number of boxes they may be folded asshown by Fig. 3, or if it is'desirable to decrease their width the sideflaps 23 may be folded inwardly upon the top and bottom instead of beingfolded outwardly as shown by this figure. The narrower formation ispreferable for the additional reason that the pointed flaps 28 are moreefficiently protected, because they then lie between the edges definedby lines 17, 17. VY/The action of folding the side ilaps inwardly anddownwardly draws the end aps 14, 14 inwardly and downwardly.

When unfoldin a box for use, the raising of the side aps efects similarmovement of the end aps, or the raising of the end flaps effects similarmovement of the side flaps.

By reference toFig. 5 it will be seen that the triangular corner flaps28 are bent slightly inwardly. When the top 21 is folded upwardly, asshown by Fig. 6, the diagonal scoring upon the lines 25 and 26 causesthe intermedlate portions between the side flaps to fold inwardly towardeach other. Continued closing movement of the top carries it intoengagement with the inwardly be'nt points of the corner aps 28 which arethereupon deflected more and more toward each other, thereby bending theintermediate scored portions so that the edges of the side fiaps 24 maypass outside and overlap the side flaps 23l (see Fig. 9). During theclosing movement of the top, the connecting piece 22, which constitutesthe rear end joining the bottom and top, is moved to upright positionagainst the ends of the side flaps 23. The bottom 2O and top 21 are madeof approximately equal length,

and consequently when the edge of .the top end flap approaches the edgeof the bottom bottom end iap, to enable the box to assume. a rectangularclosed condition, as shown by Fig. 7. When the box'is closed, the sideflaps 24 and the end Hap 14 of the top overlap the side flaps `123 andend flap 14 of the bottom, and the box is held in closed cond-ition bythecoperation of the two overlapping end flaps. It will be observed thatthe exposed edges of the blanl, when the box is closed, all coincidewith corner bends, and that the appearance of the box is therebyrendered neat, and at the same time the `top and bottom held in closedrelation Without theA employment of interlocking tabs` and slits.

Additional fastening means may be provided in the form-of a tape 30, ofwhich one end may be permanently attached tothe bottom by a button 31,and of which' the other end may be looped about the button after thetape has been passed around the box.

I claim:

A blank for a folding box having inter? spectively from the outer endsof the top I and bottom, side flaps at the side edges of the top andbottom, corner flaps for joining the side flaps of the top with the endflap thereof, corner flaps for .joining the side flaps of the bottomwith the end ap thereof, and folding flaps connecting the side flaps ofthe top and bottom with the flap which connects the-top and bottom, eachof said folding flaps having diagonal scores and each having a slitextending diagonally from the outer edge to the meeting point of thediagonal scores, said slit providing a triangular iap having two freeedges and one connecting edge, and being adapted to be engaged andfolded inwardly by the top to guide the side flaps of the top outsidethe side flaps of the bottom when the box is closed.

In testimony whereof I have alixed my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

ELIE W. LABOMBARDE.

